The 2018 Middle School National Championship Tournament will be held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago),
on May 11–13, 2018.

Registration has closed.

Contents

Date

May 11–13, 2018 (Friday–Sunday). This is Mother’s Day weekend.

Participants will check in on Friday, May 11 and have the opportunity to meet each other and play scrimmage matches on official NAQT questions.

The tournament’s preliminary games will take place on Saturday, and the playoff games will take place on Sunday. Teams may arrive earlier or stay later to explore Chicagoland at the discounted hotel rates negotiated by NAQT. Teams that cannot arrive on Friday night will have a chance to check in on Saturday morning.

Location

The Hyatt Regency O'Hare hotel in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago).
This building is the official hotel, and it contains all of the competition rooms.
An online floor plan (PDF) is available.

There is also an overflow hotel for teams that could not be accommodated at the
Hyatt Regency O'Hare. All competition will take place at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.

On Saturday morning teams should be in the Grand Ballroom (section ABCD) by 8:55 a.m. Moderators and other staff (including team-provided staff members) should go to the Rosemont Ballroom (section C) by 8:55 a.m. for the staff meeting. Staff members who weren’t able to check in on Friday night should be in Rosemont Ballroom C by 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Information Desk

Starting Friday evening, NAQT will operate an Information Desk in the Lobby Level atrium. The Information Desk should be the first place teams go with any questions about or issues with the
tournament (other than protests, which must be lodged within the game room). NAQT will also be selling practice questions and study guides at the Information Desk. Teams who ordered T-shirts may pick them up at the Information Desk.

Participants may also text 213‑279‑6278 (“NAQT”) with questions if it is inconvenient for them to get to the
Information Desk (standard messaging rates apply). Tournament staff will answer incoming messages as quickly as they can.

Note that one question the Information Desk cannot (easily) help with is “Where is my team currently
playing?”. As a result of the power-matched format, NAQT cannot quickly locate teams during the day faster than
calling or texting the mobile number provided for the chaperone. We will, of course, try to find lost teams
(or lost players), but it won’t be a quick process (and probably no quicker than just calling the chaperone directly).
Make sure your players and chaperones have each others’ numbers in their phones before the tournament begins.

Qualification

Field

Format

Teams will play exactly eight preliminary matches on Saturday. Those matches will be determined by power-matching, so that teams with similar records will be playing each other in every round. Every team with a winning record (5–3 or better) will advance to double-elimination playoffs on Sunday.

A total of thirteen rounds will be played on Saturday, so each team will have exactly five byes. Either ten or eleven rounds will be played on Sunday, depending on whether the champion finishes with a playoff loss or not.

The Sunday playoff bracket will be posted by 7:00 a.m. at the Information Desk and on the NAQT website.

Both the Saturday and Sunday matches will be implemented using a “card system.” You can preview the 2018 MSNCT Format Guide for more details about the card system.

Registration and Fees

Registration has closed.

The registration fee is $580 per team if payment is received on or before April 13, 2018.
The fee is $600 per team on or after April 14, 2018. Schools that first qualified after March 1 have until April 20 to register at the lower rate. No teams may register after May 9, but the field may fill earlier.

The field has historically filled. Receiving an invitation to the tournament does not guarantee a spot in the field, it merely allows your team to register for a spot if one is available. Once you have qualified, you should register as soon as you can to ensure your team a spot in the tournament. Last year, the field filled around March 20 (though some teams were promoted from the waitlist after that).

One week after the field first filled (and the waitlist started), which was March 12, 2018, teams that withdraw from the tournament will be liable for 50% of the base registration fee as a cancellation penalty. In addition, regardless of the field status, teams that cancel on or after April 1 will be liable for 10% of the base registration fee; teams that cancel on or after April 15 will be liable for 50% of the base registration fee; and teams that cancel on or after May 1 will be liable for 75% of the base registration fee. Those deadlines notwithstanding, every team will have a one-week grace period from the day on which it registers, during which it may cancel with no penalty.

The registration fee only covers participation in the tournament. It does not cover transportation, lodging, food, or other expenses.

Teams bringing a working buzzer system to the tournament will be eligible for a
$20 discount on the registration fee
if it meets NAQT’s national-championship standards.
There may be some surprises in that policy! Please read it in advance to make sure your system qualifies.

Unless otherwise approved by NAQT, no team may receive more than two buzzer-system discounts.

NAQT will only award the discount for buzzer systems that it may keep until 1:00 p.m. Sunday; if these terms do not work for you, do not register to bring a buzzer system!

Early Buzzer Bonus

NAQT will pay a $20 cash “Early Buzzer Bonus” for each discount-receiving buzzer system dropped off between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. Friday in the Conference Center foyer (Lobby Level). This is in addition to the discount mentioned above, is specifically for dropping it off during that time, and will only be paid in cash between those exact times.

NAQT will begin returning team-provided buzzer systems at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Grand Ballroom Registration Desk (Entry Level) (and not before, except in emergencies). As mentioned above, this might make it impractical for teams planning to leave as soon as they are eliminated to receive buzzer-system discounts (as their systems will not have been returned at that point). Buzzers that are not picked up in a timely fashion will be left with the hotel bell desk.

Other Discounts

Teams may earn a $50 discount for providing a staff member on Saturday, and/or a $50 discount for providing a staff member on Sunday.

Team-provided staff will not have a chance to watch their team’s matches. The transportation, lodging, and all other expenses of team-provided staff members will be borne by the team, not by NAQT. Teams that provide staff must still be chaperoned at all times; a chaperone cannot also be a member of tournament staff.

Team-provided staff may be assigned as scorekeepers, control room staff, scoresheet checkers, or other roles at NAQT’s discretion. They will be required to complete an online training course. In addition to those “trained” positions, NAQT needs a limited number of untrained “runners.” Runner positions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Teams wishing to supply a runner must make this request on their registration and receive confirmation from NAQT. All team-provided staff members are subject to NAQT’s approval.

Teams cannot “split” a single staff discount across two people; each daily staff discount must be earned by a single person. (It is fine to earn two discounts by having one person working one day and another person working the other.)

The last day for a team to declare that it is bringing a staff member is April 13. Team-provided staff members suggested after that date may be accepted or rejected at NAQT’s discretion.

Teams that cancel a staff member (of any kind) on or after April 14 will not only forfeit the discount, but will be charged a $100 penalty to offset NAQT’s cost for finding a last-minute replacement.

Team rosters may be changed at any time prior to the start of the tournament, and the players who attend need not be the same players who played on the team that qualified, so it is neither necessary nor desirable to wait to register until a team’s composition has been definitively decided. Register as soon as possible and, if necessary, update the registration when the composition of a team is decided or changes.

Payment

Once you have entered all the information that can affect costs (but not necessarily entered your roster), at the bottom of your team’s registration page or the field page (while you’re logged in), click “View Cost.” Verify that the listed information is correct. If it is, follow the page’s instructions to request an invoice (so we have the proper billing information), and you will be offered the opportunity to pay by credit card. If the information is not correct, write to billing@naqt.com with the details.

Chaperones

Every team (not just every school) must have a chaperone who is at least 18 years old and is with the team at essentially all times at and around the tournament. The chaperone’s cell phone number must be provided to NAQT, and that number must be able to receive text messages.

If the chaperone is not an employee of the team’s school or district (e.g., a parent who is not also an employee), the parent or legal guardian of every player on the team must complete this form and return it to NAQT well in advance of the tournament.

Teams that wish to request a variance from the chaperone policy should contact NAQT at msnct@naqt.com well in advance of the tournament to discuss their situation.

Standby teams are exempt from chaperone requirements if they are the B (or C…) team from a school with at least one other (non-standby) team in the field. Standby teams whose school has no non-standby teams in the field are subject to the same chaperone policy as other teams.

Checking In

The primary check-in period will be from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. in the Conference Center (Lobby Level) on Friday, May 11.
During this period NAQT will be distributing information folders, answering questions, receiving payments, verifying rosters, and taking care of other administrative matters. There is a late check-in period on Saturday, but NAQT would prefer that as many teams as possible check-in on Friday night.

To check in, each team should send one coach or chaperone to the check-in area. That person will be given the team’s information folder.

In past years there has been a long line just after check-in opens, so we encourage teams to keep an eye on the line and send one person to check in when the line is short. There is no need to check in immediately. In particular, teams can play scrimmage rounds even if they have not checked in.

Remember that NAQT is paying an additional Early Buzzer Bonus of $20 for buzzer systems that are dropped off between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. Friday in the Conference Center foyer (Lobby Level). Regardless of when you choose to check in, please consider dropping off your systems during this time period to earn extra money and to help us make sure we have everything ready in time.

Teams that don’t arrive at the hotel until after 9:30 p.m. on Friday may check in between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom Foyer (Entry Level). Teams that checked in on Friday do not need to check in again on Saturday.

Scrimmages

Between 6:00 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday night, game rooms will be set up for teams to scrimmage against each other on questions from previous championships and/or questions they didn’t hear during the regular season. This scrimmaging is free and will be moderated by tournament staff. We encourage all teams to come by to play a practice game or two.

Teams that want to participate in the scrimmages should go to the Conference Center foyer on the Entry Level (i.e., directly below the check-in area). A team does not need to have checked in to be allowed to scrimmage.

Scrimmages will be organized by means of “scrimmage tickets”: When a team shows up to the scrimmage desk, it will be given a ticket listing a room and a time; that team should go to that room and be prepared to play at that time. The majority of tickets will be for games that start within 5 to 15 minutes, but it is possible that there could be a 30-to-45-minute wait during the busiest periods. If a team wants to play another match, it should return to the scrimmage desk to get another ticket after its game finishes.

Scrimmages are open to all players, including alternates and standby teams.
Ineligible players (e.g., parents or coaches) may compete if both teams are amenable to their participation, but the purpose of the scrimmages is to let actual teams experience actual tournament conditions. A more appropriate time for parents and coaches to partake of quiz bowl is during the Sunday consolation rounds.

Awards

The top 32 teams will each receive a team trophy, and the members of those teams will receive individual trophies (up to six per team).

The top 30 individual scorers will receive All-Star awards. In addition, the top eight non-8th graders who are not overall All-Stars will receive Rising Star awards.

All individual awards will be determined by ranking players by points per tossup heard (PPTUH) during the preliminary (Saturday) rounds. Players must have at least 100 tossups heard (approximately five games’ worth) to be eligible for individual awards.

Team trophies (and the individual awards for their members) for teams that finished outside of the top twelve will be handed out immediately following the game in which the team is eliminated (in the game room, by the moderators). The trophies for the top twelve teams and for the All-Stars and Rising Stars will be given out at the awards ceremony (immediately after the finals).

If a team needs to leave prior to the awards ceremony, it can go to the Information Desk to get its trophy and any individual awards earned by its members.

Consolation

Teams that do not qualify for the playoffs are encouraged to return on Sunday
to play consolation games on the playoff questions. These consolation rounds will be moderated by tournament staff. All players,
even alternates or observers, are welcome to take part, and if both teams are amenable, other people such as coaches and spectators
may also play. Teams that qualify for the playoffs may also join the consolation rounds once they have been eliminated.

Two kinds of consolation rounds will be offered:

Mini-tournaments:
These will be three-, four-, or five-round power-matched events that run relatively efficiently, but they involve a commitment to stay for all of the rounds.
Teams can sign up for mini-tournaments at the Information Desk on Saturday evening or (if any spots are still available) Sunday morning. Teams in mini-tournaments should arrive at the consolation desk in the Conference Center (Lobby Level) at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday to ensure that their events start on time.

Ad hoc matches:
These involve no commitment, but they will take longer to organize as available teams will be manually paired against each other as rooms, packets, and readers become available.
Teams that only want to play one or two additional games should choose this option.
Teams may also play ad hoc matches after they are eliminated from the playoffs or after their mini-tournament finishes.
Ad hoc matches will be organized at the consolation desk in the Conference Center (Lobby Level) at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday after the mini-tournaments have been launched.

If rooms, buzzers, or staff run short, mini-tournaments will be given priority over ad hoc matches.

The consolation rounds (of either type) have no effect on a team’s final rank in the tournament. They are played solely for fun.

Apparel and Souvenirs

Tournament T-shirts are available for $15 each.
They may be ordered via registration forms and will also be available for sale during the tournament while supplies last.

Here is the shirt design:

Photography

On Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. until the finals begin, NAQT will have a professional photographer in United B (Entry Level) taking pictures of teams. Teams can pose with buzzers or just stand, and the photos will be available for purchase as a memento of the event or as a gift for coaches or parents.

Ground Transportation

The hotel runs a free shuttle every 15 minutes to transport people from O’Hare to the hotel (and
vice versa). There is no such shuttle for Midway; a taxi between Midway and the hotel will cost $35 or more, or
you can take the CTA’s Orange and Blue Lines for $2.25 per person
(getting on at the Midway Orange Line station, transferring to the Blue Line downtown, and getting off at the
Rosemont Blue Line station, which is about one block from the hotel).

Driving Directions

Parking

Parking standard vehicles at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare costs $5/day, including in-and-out privileges.
Participants traveling to the tournament in buses should contact the hotel in advance to discuss parking options.

To receive the discounted parking rate, participants staying at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare should mention when checking
into their guest rooms (not the tournament) that they have parked at the hotel and validate their ticket. Participants not
staying at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare should use the manual validator box to validate their parking ticket at NAQT’s
check-in desk (Friday) or at the Information Desk (Saturday or Sunday). Do not use the manual validator
box if you are an overnight guest of the hotel!

Hotel

The official hotel for the tournament is the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. Rooms with one king bed or two double beds are available for $119 per night. To receive that rate, book online or mention “NAQT” when making a reservation over the phone. The last day to reserve rooms at this special price is April 19. Please note that there are two Hyatt hotels in Rosemont; the one hosting the tournament is the Hyatt Regency O’Hare next to the convention center.

The Hyatt Regency O’Hare is sold out of certain types of rooms on some nights. If you are unable to book the rooms you want, check out the overflow hotel.

As part of the contract negotiated by NAQT, the hotel will offer complimentary Internet access in guest rooms to tournament participants and their families.

Overflow Hotel

NAQT has arranged for the Crowne Plaza O’Hare (5440 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois) to serve as the overflow hotel for the tournament.

The Crowne Plaza has rooms available for $119 per room per night. Parking is $5 per day and comes with in-and-out privileges. Guest-room Internet access is complimentary.

The Crowne Plaza operates a free shuttle to and from O’Hare International Airport and is within an easy walk of the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.

Food

The hotel’s O’H American Grill on the Lobby Level will be offering all-you-can-eat buffet meals throughout the weekend at a discounted price of $14.95 (plus tax and tip) for tournament attendees. Participants can show their buffet ticket (obtained at the Information Desk) to restaurant staff to obtain the discounted price. In addition, NAQT will have buffet tickets available at the Information Desk; if you think you’ll need breakfast tickets, be sure to pick them up the night before, as the Information Desk may not be open when you hope to start eating.

In addition to the buffet meals, the hotel will operate “grab-and-go” cash stands for breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday near the Perks coffee shop on the Entry Level.

There are also a few restaurants offering more formal dining at the Parkway Bank Park at Rosemont (formerly MB Financial Park). These include Adobe Gila’s, Bogart’s, Hofbräuhaus Chicago, and Fogo de Chão. These are more suited for evening meals and are a twelve-minute walk away.

Participants can also order carry-out or delivery from local restaurants.

Advocate Program

Because NAQT believes that quiz bowl is an activity for everybody, and in which all participants should feel welcome and
respected, we have established the Advocate Program to make sure tournament staff are available to hear reports about problematic behavior and comments by anyone at the tournament.

Staff wearing blue ribbons that say “Advocate” have been specifically selected to receive reports about inappropriate behavior (as opposed to run-of-the-mill questions about the quiz bowl aspects of the tournament). At least one such staff member will generally be available at the Information Desk during tournament hours; if no such person is available (e.g., due to being on a break), the other Information Desk staff can be asked to have a senior tournament official come to the Information Desk to hear the report. Additional Advocate Program staff will be available in many places around the tournament site.

Feedback about problematic behavior can, of course, always be sent to NAQT by e-mail (advocate@naqt.com)
or other channels such as the Misconduct Reporting Form, but the Advocate Program
is intended to allow for in-person reporting of sensitive complaints on-site so they can be handled immediately.

Reports are confidential to the extent permitted by law and NAQT’s agreements to share critical information with other quiz bowl organizations.

Finally, participants may want to look at the information contained in NAQT’s free You Gotta Know articles before the tournament. These detail the most frequently asked-about question topics in a wide variety of areas.

Spectators

Spectators are welcome to attend any and all parts of the tournament. No registration or tickets are required.

Sightseeing

Chicago has a variety of world-class attractions that should appeal to anybody, especially to quiz bowlers!

The easiest way to reach most of Chicago’s downtown attractions is to ride the Chicago Transit Authority’s
(CTA’s) ‘L’ trains, for which there is a stop within easy walking distance of the hotel: Exit the hotel
and walk west on Bryn Mawr; turn right on River Road and pass under I-190 and the CTA tracks. The entrance to Rosemont
station on the CTA Blue Line will be on your right. Board trains
bound for “Loop” or “Forest Park” (not for O’Hare!) for the 35-minute ride into downtown Chicago.

Once you’re downtown, the Art Institute of Chicago (Blue Line to Monroe, walk
1 block south to Adams and 3 blocks west) features dozens of tossup-worthy works, including Nighthawks and
American Gothic, and adjoins both
Millennium Park and
Grant Park, home to Cloud Gate (“The Bean”)
and Buckingham Fountain. Just a bit further south is the Museum Campus (Blue Line to Jackson, walk 1 block east to
State Street and Jackson and catch bus 146
toward Museum Campus), which is home to three major institutions: the Shedd Aquarium,
the Field Museum of Natural History, and the historic
Adler Planetarium, which was the first planetarium in the Americas.

The Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower; Blue Line to Jackson, walk 4 blocks west) offers
stunning views of the Chicago skyline; so does 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly
the John Hancock Center; Blue Line to Chicago station,
bus 66 toward Navy Pier), located on Michigan Avenue in
the heart of famed Magnificent Mile. Further afield are the Lincoln Park Zoo (Blue Line
to Western, bus 73 to Clark/North), the
Chicago History Museum (5 minutes walk from the zoo), and the
Museum of Science and Industry (Blue Line to Jackson, walk 1 block east to State Street
and Jackson and catch bus 6 toward 79th/South Shore),
which is housed in a structure originally built for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.

Social Media

The official hashtag for the tournament is msnct; please use this tag for all posts about the tournament.

Remember that question content for the championship cannot be posted online (or shared through other channels)! This means that players, coaches, spectators, and moderators should not discuss clues, answers, or even overall themes (e.g., “Lots of opera”) with people on other teams (even those from the same school).

Livebloggers will cover the tournament on NAQT’s social media, especially Twitter (@NAQTLive) and Instagram (@NAQTqb).

Further Questions

We look forward to answering any and all questions, no matter how expansive or trivial, in the hopes of eliminating any possible confusion or mistakes in participants’ plans. If something’s not clear, let us know!